Curtain-stretcher.



V. BUCKREIS.

CURTAIN STBBTGHER.

APPLICATION FILED 11H24, 1912.

Patented Apr. 15, 1913.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

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COLUMBIA PLANDGRAPN co.,wAsmNuTcN. u. c.

VALENTINE BUCKREIS, OE lSAN ANTONIO, TEXAS.

CURTAIN-STRETGHER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 15, 1913.

Application filed May 24, 1912. Serial No. 699,514.

T 0. all whom may concern Be it known that I, VALENTINE BUCK- Rnis, a citizen of the United States, residing at San Antonio, in the county of Bexar and State of Texas, have invented new and useful Improvements in Curtain-Stretchers, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to curtain stretchers, or frames, upon which curtains of different sizes are adapted to be strung and stretched while drying thev same, the object of the invention being to provide a stretcher frame of exceedingly simple and reliable construction, adapted to be expanded and contracted in size with facility, and by means easily operable, and adapted to maintain the relatively adjustable parts of the frame in an expanded condition.

Tith the above and other objects in view, the invention consists in the construction, combination and arrangement of vparts, as will be hereinafter more fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and pointed out in the claims hereunto appended.

In the drawings: Figure 1 is a bottom plan view of a curtain stretcher, embodying the present invention. Fig. 2 is a perspective view of a section of one of the side rails, showing the clamps and a portion of the .curtain held thereby. Fig. 3 is a perspective view of a section of the side rail, omitting the clamps. Fig. 4 is a detail perspective view of one of the clamps. Fig. 5 is a detail perspective View of one of the sliding yokes. Fig. 6 is a vertical cross section through one of the yokes, showing the spring catches.

Referring to the drawings, it will be seen that I employ parallel side rails 1 and 2, and parallel end rails 3 and 4 which cross the side rails, the side and end rails being slidable upon each other for the purpose of expanding or contractingv the stretcher frame as a whole to adapt the same to curtains of different sizes. Each side rail is of dove-tailed shape in cross section, for a purpose which will hereinafter appear, and is provided at suitable intervals with threaded studs 5 which pass upward through holes 6 in a series of clamps 7 in the form of plates of the same width as the narrower` face of the side rail, the margin of the curtain being adapted to be clamped between such plates 7 and the side rail. The side rail is also provided with a. great number of upstanding impaling pins 8, while the clamp or plate 7 is provided with a corresponding number of holes 9 adapted to receive the pins 8, after the curtain has been impaled thereon.

rl`he construction just described provides for initially impaling the curtain on the side bars and then clamping the same securely, so as to relieve the strain of the impaling pins on the curtain, as it is stretched in the manner hereinafter described.

The side rails are preferably made in sec-l described, and for the same purpose, thus adapting the end margins of the curtains to be securely clamped to the end rails.

At each of the points where the side and end rails cross each other, I provide a sliding yoke 13 which has a groove 14, through which the end rail is adapted to slide, said yoke being provided at a lower point with a dove-tailed groove 15, into which the side rail is adapted to slide. The yoke thus bears a sliding relation to the side and end rails, where they cross. i

In order to provide for holding the side and end rails, when adjusted to the proper point, each of said side and end rails is provided in its bottom face with ratchet teeth, 16 representing the teeth of the side rails, and 17 the teeth of the end rails. These teeth are ratchet shaped and lie wholly within the plane of the bottom suri face of the rails, so as not to interfere in the slightest way with the free sliding of the yoke thereon.

The yoke is provided in the top thereof with an opening 18, in which is arranged a single tooth or catch 19, carri-ed by thefree end of the spring 20 secured at one end to the yoke, as shown at 21, and having the end thereof upt-urned, as shown at 22, to facilitate lifting the too-th or catch 19, in order to throw the same out of engagement with the teeth of the end rail, with which the same engages. At one side, the yoke is provided with another opening 23, in which works a tooth or catch 24 similar to the catch 19 and carried in the same manner by a spring 25.

It will be understood that the springs 20 and 25 serve to normally hold the catches 19 and 24 into engagement with the teeth of the side and end rails. This permits the side rails to be moved apart, and also permits the end'rails to be moved apart, during Which movement the side and end rails slide in their respective grooves in the yokes. This operation takes place in the act of stretching the curtain, preparatory to drying the same. In order to release the curtain, the springs 20 and 25 are lifted, so as to move the catches 19 and 24E out of engagement With the indented teeth in the side and end rails. After this, the clamps may be released, and the curtains detached from the impaling pins.

What is claimed is:

l. A lcurtain stretcher, comprising side rails of dove-tailed shape in cro-ss section and provided with ratchet teeth in the Wider faces thereof, end rails extending across the side rails and having ratchet teeth in one face thereof, sliding yokes connecting the side and end rails Where they cross, each yoke having a dove-tailed groove in Which the side rail may slide and another groove at a right angle thereto in Which the end rail may slide, and spring pressed catches carried by each yoke and engaging the teeth of the side and end rails.

2. A curtain stretcher, comprising side rails of dove-tailed shape in cross section and provided with ratchet teeth in the Wider faces thereof, end rails extending across the side rails and having ratchet teeth in one face thereof, sliding yokes connecting the side and end rails Where they cross, cach yoke having a dove-tailed groove in which the side rail may slide and another groove at a right angle thereto in which the end rail may slide, spring pressed catches carried by each yoke and engaging the teeth of Copies of this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents. Washington, D. C. 

